The way wide receiver Matthew Willis looks at it, he’s making up for lost time.

A guy who played only two seasons of football at UCLA before attempting an NFL career has been the early standout at Broncos training camp.

Willis has made several leaping, diving receptions.

“He’s been great,” teammate Brandon Stokley said.

Willis didn’t play football his last two years of high school in Anaheim, Calif., or his first three years at UCLA.

“In high school I was 4-11, 95 pounds when I was a freshman,” Willis said. “I decided football probably wasn’t the best thing right then, so I played soccer and ran track.

“But I knew when I went to see (former UCLA coach Karl Dorrell) that if I didn’t take the chance to do something, to go play that last year or so, I knew I would regret it later.”

Willis played in five games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2007 after making their practice squad as an undrafted rookie. He was out of football for most of the 2008 season before signing with the Broncos’ practice squad in December that year. He spent most of last season on the Broncos’ practice squad before being signed to their active roster for the season finale against Kansas City.

“Being here now is great, but I still want more,” Willis said. “I’d like to find a way to contribute in any way and make this team.”

Two camps, one summer.

The newest Bronco, linebacker Joe Mays, has started his second NFL training camp this summer. He opened camp with the Philadelphia Eagles last week before being told he was traded to the Broncos.

Denver sent running back J.J. Arrington to the Eagles to acquire Mays, who practiced with the Broncos on Monday.

“Had no idea,” Mays said of what he thought when he was pulled out of an Eagles meeting to get the trade news. “Three things came to my mind. Either I was going to get released, I was going to switch positions because we were so loaded at linebacker or I was going to be traded. . . . I’m happy they traded for me. Right now I’m just trying to prove my worth to the team.”

Footnotes.

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said he still has no timetable for when nose tackle Jamal Williams will join the team’s practices. Williams is being held out because of a sore knee. “Hopefully not too far off into the future. . . . We’re eager to have him out here too, but we’re going to be smart and make sure we do the right thing,” McDaniels said. . . . Alphonso Smith worked as the nickel cornerback when the Broncos went with five defensive backs Monday afternoon. Smith and safety Darcel McBath were the extra defensive backs in the dime package (six defensive backs).

Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson had butterflies before Sunday's game against the Detroit Red Wings. It wasn't because of the big-name opponent, but rather his return from a 13-game injury absence and being stoked to rejoin a team in a playoff push and looking for its third postseason appearance in 10 years.